


The Nohrian Prince

by LittleLuxxie



Series: A song of Conquest and Fate [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Backstory, Garon wasn't always evil, Gen, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 23:50:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14862665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLuxxie/pseuds/LittleLuxxie
Summary: Storms wreaked havoc around Nohr for months and soon drove King Garon to take desperate measures to save his country and its people.Xander is 8 years old when the course of events was set in motion, that would eventually land a Hoshidan princess in the midst of the Nohrian royal family.





	1. Chapter 1

Xander was 8 years old when he learned that just because you ask nicely, you don’t always get what you need. He also learned that even in peacetimes, neighboring countries aren’t necessarily your allies.

During the weekly meetings, Xander sat on a chair a bit away from the others, still within hearing distance. He was expected to listen and learn, but not interrupt. Different people came to leave reports to Father about the state of the kingdom. That was also the case when the first report of storms in the Harveth County came. Since storms were such a common hazard in Nohr everything was built to withstand the harsh weather, and most people considered it a mild inconvenience. As such, reports like this was not unusual and held little importance. This report seemed like any other, but since it was in one of Nohr’s few farming lands, Father sent people out to investigate the damage.

There was nothing usual about the reports that returned, however. The messenger, who was a man working under Iago, was visibly shaken as he came to deliver it.

“Your Highness, we have received most worrying reports from Harveth. There is extensive damage done to both buildings, people, land, and livestock. 3 villages have been completely ruined, the houses and barns are beyond repair. We do not know the exact amount of people living there, but so far, they have counted to over 30 deaths and around a hundred injured. 7 villages have suffered severe damage, but they’ll be able to repair and rebuild.”

Xander felt sick as the messenger recounted the damage, and he saw Father’s eyebrows knotting together more and more. All those poor people.

“How did the fields and the livestock fare?”

“For now, the estimate is that a fifth of Harveth County’s fields is beyond salvage. The numbers for livestock are about the same.”

Father nodded and turned to the man standing next to him, “Iago, make sure to send people to help with the repair of the fields and barns. We need to secure as much as possible of the remaining resources.”

“At once, my liege,” said Iago with a bow, and left the room.

Xander looked at Father in confusion, he seemed much more concerned about the fields and animals than the people. How could he be that when people had been killed or injured? Surely it was more important to care for them before worrying about the fields?

 -

Reports of the storms wreaking havoc came every week for the following months, each worse than the previous. Most of Haveth had been left in ruins after the last storm, and now big parts of Erethland and Harvenord was destroyed too. Those three was Nohr’s largest farming lands, and therefore they had lost more than half of Nohr’s crop fields and livestock, and Xander learned why this had worried Father more than anything else. Soon enough reports of increased crime rates began to flood in. The food shortage left people desperate, and they began to steal, and even kill, for food. Combined with the casualties from the storms the death count rose all the time, Xander couldn’t keep up. And for every death, there was ten injured.

He sat in on countless meetings with Father and masters of this and that, Xander had a hard time keeping track of them. They discussed different courses of action, trying to find a way to feed and care for the people. But it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. Especially as new storms came and destroyed what little they had rebuilt.

It was hard to sleep at night, Xander only thought of all the people out there who were hungry and homeless. Yet here he laid in his warm bed with a full stomach.

He felt so guilty when he sat there at the dinner table with Father, Camilla, and little Leo, who just played with his food. When Xander didn’t want to eat he got a scolding from Father.

“Not eating your food is very disrespectful, Xander. Especially in times like these, be grateful you have food on your plate.”

“It feels wrong when so many are starving,” said Xander under his breath.

“You not eating won’t help anyone.”

“Someone else could have it.”

“So you would rather starve? For how long are you going to go without food, Xander?”

“But we have so much…”

“Would you like your siblings to starve? Or the servants?”

Xander shrunk before the anger in Father’s voice, “No…”

“Then eat your food.”

Father closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Xander, I know this is hard to understand. But we are doing everything we can, and in the meantime, I have no intention of letting any of my children suffer.”

After that Xander ate, even though it was sometimes hard to swallow. Soon he noticed that the food shortage affected them too, they had less food and all meals became a bit redundant. But they did always have enough to not go hungry.

- 

When the season changed, the reports of new storms stopped coming in. But so much had already been destroyed, and it was obvious that they wouldn’t be able to repair and rebuild in time. One of Father’s advisors showed a prediction of how hundreds more would die in the coming months. He also showed that Nohr wouldn’t be able to sustain its population later either, too many of their fields were far beyond salvage. It would take years to make them fit for cultivation. This would also mean that the few livestock they had left would be slaughtered soon because there wasn’t enough to feed them with. In short, it was a catastrophe that they didn’t know how to get out of with the kingdom intact.

That was when Father began reaching out to other countries for aid. More meetings followed some provided a few token resources but Xander heard Father say it was barely a band-aid on a severed limb. Xander could see how this took its toll on Father, new wrinkles formed daily on his forehead, he had dark circles under his eyes and there was a desperation in his general appearance that scared Xander. After a meeting with a Hoshidan representative, Father sent Xander away, told him to go play with his siblings or something, just stay out of his way.

When he left the room, he heard Father cursing behind him. Cursing the greedy Hoshidans that lived in abundance and luxury. Cursed them for being so selfish that they couldn’t see that the Nohrians suffered. Xander had never heard Father speak in such a way before, and with a lump in his stomach, he started to walk in the direction of the nursery.

Leo’s face lit up when he walked in, Xander picked up the little 1-year-old and hugged him. He breathed slowly and tried to keep the tears away, the crown prince of Nohr did not cry, he did not. Camilla came over to them with a worried expression and asked what was wrong. Xander said it was nothing, she looked at him, but then she closed her arms around both Leo and him. It wasn’t long though before Leo lost his patience with his big brother and wanted to be put down again. Xander sat down on the floor and played with Leo and Camilla, and for one afternoon he got to be the 8-year-old boy he was.


	2. Chapter 2

During the next weekly meeting, Xander learned how Father was planning on solving their situation. With a map of the continent spread across the table, he explained to the gathered that they would invade Hoshido. Father’s diplomatic advisor began to protest but was shut down quickly. If Hoshido didn’t want to help, Nohr would have to take what they needed with force.

They began to discuss details of the invasion. Xander had a hard time seeing from his chair in the corner. But after the meeting, Father stayed with him and went over everything they had talked about. Pointing to an area close to the mountain chain separating Nohr from Hoshido, saying that they would start there. When Xander left the room he felt elated, finally, they were doing something.

- 

“Xander, come over here,” said Father, waving for him to stand next to him beside the table. Xander slowly got up from the corner chair he always occupied. This was the first time Father hadn’t waited until after the meeting to explain something. Xander’s mouth got dry as every man and woman standing around the table turned to look at him. He didn’t know half of them and sincerely hoped Father would not ask, however, he did note that the diplomatic advisor was missing. He lowered his eyes and breathed shakily, trying to ignore their piercing eyes.

On the war table a large map was pinned up, and several tokens that reminded him of game pieces were spread out on it.

“This area over here,” said Father, pointing to a section on the Hoshidan side of the border, “we have gained control over. We are going to move these troops,” he lifted two of the tokens, and moved them a few inches north, “and take over this part. Then we will have enough to sustain the Nohrian population until we find a more permanent solution. Can you tell me why we will not move these troops instead and take this piece of land?”

After studying the map and carefully considering his answer, Xander said, “Even if it looks easier to move them south, they would have to move through this forest, which is kitsune territory. Since we would have no use of forest lands, we would risk confrontations, and losing soldiers, in vain?”

Father smiled approvingly and laid a hand on his shoulder, “Very good, Xander.”

Pride filled his chest for a moment, and he suppressed a beaming smile.

“I still think it’s a risk to not send at least another company to protect the territory we already have before moving the others,” said a man standing down by the end of the table.

“We do not have supplies to sustain more soldiers,” said a lady, whom Xander thought was a general.

“There are villages along the way is it not? I’m sure they won’t mind restocking the company’s stores.”

“We have plundered enough villages,” said another lady, resting her hands on the table and glaring at the man, “we have no need for ransacked lands. If we don’t leave the farmers something to live off, they won’t be of much use, will they?”

Xander shuffled his feet and started to shrink away from the table, intent on returning to his chair. A heavy hand on his shoulder held him in place.

“So far, the Hoshidans haven’t put up more than token resistance. My troops are more than capable to defend that area,” said the general.

“How can we be sure that Kind Sumeragi isn’t just waiting for an opportunity like this? We can’t count on the Hoshidan army to remain idle forever.”

“The Hoshidans doesn’t have the numbers to send, their military is in a pathetic condition,” said Iago, “we will not need to worry for a long time about them launching a counterattack.”

“And we need more territory to cover for what the invasion has cost us.”

“The soldiers would be of more use protecting the caravans with resources as they leave Hoshido, they will be more vulnerable than the actual lands.”

“Prepare two companies and send them to take care of that,” said Father, the general nodded and Iago scribbled something on a parchment in front of him.

- 

Father gestured for Xander to sit down on the chair in front of the desk.

“I have something important to discuss with you, Xander,” Father said and closed his hands in front of him on the table.

Xander only nodded and waited.

“As you know the tension between Nohr and Hoshido is still very strong, and even if King Sumeragi still hasn’t sent soldiers to drive us out we can’t rely on him remaining idle forever. We need to form a permanent alliance to secure continued support for the Nohrian population,” Father said.

Xander waited, he already knew this, so why was Father telling him this again?

“I have requested King Sumeragi’s presence at a Peacetalk in Cheve, and he has accepted. We will meet up with the Hoshidan Royals there in a month’s time. There I will suggest an alliance between our countries, through marriage.”

Thoughts rushed through Xander’s head, marriage? But who-…? There was a sinking feeling in his chest when he realized where this was going.

“I want you to marry one of the Hoshidan Princesses, having a Hoshidan queen should be enough to bring our countries to a stable alliance. Do you understand?”

Xander nodded to his feet, and said slowly, “I do.”

“I can see you are not fond of the idea. The obligations for a Crown Prince might not always be pleasant, but a good ruler puts the good of their people first.”

“Is she nice?” he asked.

“I do not know, and it doesn’t matter. All you need to do is produce an heir with her and keep up a good front. You can have as many concubines as you wish on the side.”

Xander grimaced, “I don’t want any concubines. They’re all so-…” he couldn’t find the right words to describe the giggling lot with heavy make-up and nearly no clothes that stalked the corridors of the Royal Wing, always making crude suggestions that made him uncomfortable, even if they weren’t directed at him.

“We’ll see about that when you’re older,” Father chuckled, “anyway if all go as planned you will meet the princess in Cheve.”

In the end, however, there were to journey to Cheve for him, Camilla and Leo. They were left at home with the newest addition to their family, Elise. It was Iago’s constant suggestions that Father would put his valuable children at great risk with bringing them. Hoshido didn’t have the strength to meet them on the battlefield, but wouldn’t it be so easy to eradicate the entire Royal family in one swift move? Iago’s hissing voice sent shivers down Xander’s back. Father decided to not bring them, which was why Xander and Camilla stood in a window, watching as the procession marched out of the front gate and over the bridge.


End file.
